(a) Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a gripper device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a gripper device that can clamp, transfer, laser-weld, and inspect components of a vehicle body.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Generally, a gripper is used for transferring components of a vehicle body from one process to another process in a vehicle body assemble line. The gripper is mounted at a front end of an arm of a robot and is thus often referred to by those skilled in the art as a robot gripper. In addition, various components of the vehicle body are welded by a welding robot in the vehicle body assemble line often through the use of laser welding techniques. Laser welding is a welding technique that uses a laser beam to join pieces of material together. The beam provides a concentrated heat source, allowing for narrow, deep welds and high welding rates. Laser welding is beneficial because a laser beam can be transmitted through air rather than requiring a vacuum, the process is easily automated with robotic mechanisms, x-rays need not be generated in the process, and laser beam welding results in higher quality welds.
In operation, the size of a laser beam oscillated by a laser oscillator is changed and the laser beam is irradiated to a welding portion of a welding object thereby welding the welding portion of the welding object.
Along the assembly line, the welding state of the vehicle body components and distribution of holes are inspected in the vehicle body assemble line. The inspection processes are performed by using images of the vehicle body components obtained by a vision camera.
According to conventional designs, transfer, laser welding, and vision inspection of the vehicle body components are performed by separate respective devices. Therefore, working processes and equipments as a result are often complex, and thus working time may increase, and initial investment may be raised.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.